Help ... Same Sex Spouse Query (For two females)

curlymix · Post by **curlymix** » Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:30 pm

Hi..

We are in a same sex civil partnership and hoping to move to Singapore. Under the EP one of us is able to make an application for a Spouse/dependant. Will the fact we are legally married in the UK enable me to bring my spouse with me?

She also wants to work, so it maybe easier to apply seperately but we wanted to ask the question first before we start making applications?

I have reviewed the forum and have not found any similar queries so would greatly appreciate any advice anyone can give us.

Thanks

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:51 pm

You are right. This is perhaps the first time that question has been asked. It's not been broached in the 6+ years I been on this board.

So. Having said that, Singapore generally will accept the marital status if it is considered a legal union in the country of origin. They won't like it, but at the same time, they do make allowances for the many same sex partners who are in de facto arrangements if they can be documented. Therefore, armed with a valid marriage certificate recognized by your country of origin, I don't think you will have any problem. If fact, you should be able to get a dependent's pass as opposed to the normal LTVP that is given to the "partners" of non-legalized co-habitation arrangements.

curlymix · Post by **curlymix** » Wed, 16 Feb 2011 1:07 pm

Hi,
thanks for your reply.
We read a thread regarding a lady who was working in Sg being told she couldn't get pregnant in Singapore or they would send her back to China.
Is that normal practice?

ksl · Post by **ksl** » Wed, 16 Feb 2011 1:38 pm

curlymix wrote:Hi,
thanks for your reply.
We read a thread regarding a lady who was working in Sg being told she couldn't get pregnant in Singapore or they would send her back to China.
Is that normal practice?

Only for work permit holders and maids I believe.

glynlondon · Post by **glynlondon** » Thu, 09 Jun 2011 4:46 am

hi

How did you get on? Im in a similar postition but both males. Does anyone have any advice or contacts I should speak to?

Thanks
G

Post by **nakatago** » Thu, 09 Jun 2011 8:49 am

glynlondon wrote:hi

How did you get on? Im in a similar postition but both males. Does anyone have any advice or contacts I should speak to?

Thanks
G

Somebody asked this before but you'll have to do some creative searching...I don't remember the keywords. That said, I think most of SMS's advice still holds.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Thu, 09 Jun 2011 3:46 pm

I missed this topic when it came up. As it happens I posted about this scenario c. 1 year ago. At that time the Singapore High Comm in Canberra had just issued a Dependent Pass to one half of a civil partnership.

What SMS says is correct, you need your local SG embassy/High Comm to recognise that your relationship is recognised as on a par with marriage in your country of origin.

In fact this is the 3rd time I've answered this question, so the situation is not unique.

APM · Post by **APM** » Mon, 27 Jun 2011 5:23 am

Good morning/afternoon/evening,

I am a newbie to this website for the simple reason that 2 weeks ago I did not know that I would be offered a very interesting position in Singapore for a couple of years.

I am in a a same-sex civil partnership with my partner (we are both women) for more than 6 years.

My company has contacted their local lawyer in Singapore to see if my partner could get a DP but the answer just came back and according to that firm it is not possible. They said they have contacted the MOM on a no name basis and received a negative (verbal) answer. The same-sex civil partnership is not recognize/assimilated to marriage in Singapore.

I would be obviously interested in getting more info about the cases mentioned in this tread where a DP was granted to the partner of a same-sex relationship. What can be done to make that happen? Shall my company address this query to another (specialised?) law firm?

Thanks in advance for any piece of information you could share with me. Living and working in Singapore sounds like a great opportunity but researches on the net have so far not been successful at all.

Thank you.
APM

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Mon, 27 Jun 2011 6:59 am

Don't waste your time & money. The best you are going to be able to do, if you can document your "de facto" union suitably (get a letter from your embassy attesting to the fact of the established union) is to be able to get a LTVP for your "spouse". A DP will not happen. Getting another immigration lawyer? Why? It's not the lawyer you need to convince. It's MOM & ICA and they DO NOT LIKE LAWYERS and this isn't the USofA so lawyers here can't do too much of anything. If you can get the Long Term Social Visit Pass be thankful.

carteki · Post by **carteki** » Mon, 27 Jun 2011 1:15 pm

curlymix wrote:Hi..

I have reviewed the forum and have not found any similar queries so would greatly appreciate any advice anyone can give us.

Thanks

Me thinks not...
Nov 09 http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic65174.html

Jan 10 http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic59786.html

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Mon, 27 Jun 2011 1:33 pm

And once again, a noobie is hoist by their own petard!

APM · Post by **APM** » Tue, 28 Jun 2011 3:33 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Don't waste your time & money. The best you are going to be able to do, if you can document your "de facto" union suitably (get a letter from your embassy attesting to the fact of the established union) is to be able to get a LTVP for your "spouse". A DP will not happen. Getting another immigration lawyer? Why? It's not the lawyer you need to convince. It's MOM & ICA and they DO NOT LIKE LAWYERS and this isn't the USofA so lawyers here can't do too much of anything. If you can get the Long Term Social Visit Pass be thankful.

Thank you SMS for the piece of advice.

Reading the previous posts I was under the wrong impression that a DP was a (rare) possibility. I will investigate the LTVP as you recommand it and cross my fingers.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Tue, 28 Jun 2011 3:44 am

APM wrote:
sundaymorningstaple wrote:Don't waste your time & money. The best you are going to be able to do, if you can document your "de facto" union suitably (get a letter from your embassy attesting to the fact of the established union) is to be able to get a LTVP for your "spouse". A DP will not happen. Getting another immigration lawyer? Why? It's not the lawyer you need to convince. It's MOM & ICA and they DO NOT LIKE LAWYERS and this isn't the USofA so lawyers here can't do too much of anything. If you can get the Long Term Social Visit Pass be thankful.
Thank you SMS for the piece of advice.

Reading the previous posts I was under the wrong impression that a DP was a (rare) possibility. I will investigate the LTVP as you recommand it and cross my fingers.

I think a case be made that a DP is a recent possibility, rather than simply a historically rare one.

ClaraLara · Post by **ClaraLara** » Thu, 31 May 2012 11:57 pm

@ curlymix and APM,
I am in a comparable situation may you please share your experiences with me?
female couple, not married (engaged so if this has to be the step it would not be the problem, after that it would be a civil union)

(if you don't like to open it to the forum that's ok with me, just give me a hint)

yogi2bbc · Post by **yogi2bbc** » Mon, 11 Jun 2012 5:01 pm

Good luck.

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Help ... Same Sex Spouse Query (For two females)

Help ... Same Sex Spouse Query (For two females)

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